3 Arizona Cardinals Who Need Strong Start to Preseason

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals’ preseason debut is nearly here.

We’re just short of kickoff here at State Farm Stadium with the Kansas City Chiefs in town for Week 1 of exhibition action.

Both teams are playing their starters, which will give fans some bang for their buck with Patrick Mahomes and Marvin Harrison Jr. set to take the field for an undisclosed amount of time.

We know the big names and players who are solidified – but which players maybe are a bit deeper on the roster who need a strong first impression?

Conner – a Day 3 rookie draft pick – was coveted by the Cardinals in the pre-draft process thanks to his versatility playing center and guard for the Texas Longhorns.

However, training camp hasn’t been kind to him.

Conner struggled playing center during Arizona’s training camp, seeing numerous mishaps snapping the ball. He’s seemed to have bounce back during the end of camp, though the Cardinals’ interior depth was already a question mark entering this season.

The hand injury to Jon Gaines only further emphasizes Arizona’s need to find somebody else who can snap the ball.

Conner needs to bounce back against live competition.

The Cardinals haven’t been shy about bulking up their cornerback room over the last two offseasons, which has included Elijah Jones as a Day 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Unfortunately, he didn’t get to play during his rookie season due to injuries – and more additions to his position group have only pushed him down.

During training camp, Jones consistently was running with the third string, playing behind names such as Kei’Trel Clark and rookie Denzel Burke.

Jones possessed tremendous athletic traits entering the league and needs to show them off this preseason – his spot on the roster could depend on it.

Greg Dortch failed to impress in his role as starting slot receiver last year, and 2025 has already shown different tunes for the Cardinals offense.

Among changes noted on that side of the ball, Zay Jones has not only emerged as the new starting WR3 under Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson – he has a firm grasp on the position battle.

Dortch is extremely talented and has produced in spurts during his tenure in Arizona, but it’s clear the Cardinals want something different at the receiver position.

Dortch is a lock to make the roster, but the chances of him starting continue to slip by the day. A strong preseason debut can steer conversations back closer to his favor.